Letter opposing Texas bathroom bill

The bathroom bill has received an onslaught of opposition from businesses, faith leaders and others who say it would target a vulnerable population and lead to boycotts affecting Texas’ economy since it’s widely viewed as discriminatory.

Backers including Patrick say it’s needed to protect the privacy and safety of women and children. They also point to entities, including businesses and pastors , supporting the idea.

Rep. Ron Simmons, R-Carrollton, on Thursday said he had all but given up hope on passing a bathroom measure. He is carrying a bill to ban local ordinances that protect transgender people’s ability to use the facilities that correspond with their gender identity.

Today's passed bills

But Sen. Lois Kolhorst, R-Brenham, said Friday, “I think everything’s alive until the very last gavel.”

Kolkhorst is the author of a bathroom bill passed by the Senate to require that facilities of political subdivisions including schools be designated for use by people based on the sex designated on their birth certificates, drivers’ licenses or handgun license. It would ban local regulations that say otherwise.

Senators also have passed a bill to trigger automatic rollback elections when cities, counties and special districts seek to raise local property tax revenues by more than 4 percent.

The House is scheduled to debate a version of the bill Saturday that would trigger rollback elections when local property tax revenues are slated to rise by more than 6 percent.

Currently, people can petition for a rollback election if property tax revenues are scheduled to go up by more than 8 percent.

Local officials including San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg have fought the proposed tighter restrictions, saying they would affect their ability to provide services including police and fire. Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff, while opposing the additional restrictions, has said the county could live with the 6 percent threshold.

Asked whether the Senate could support the 6 percent level, Patrick said, “I’m just working hard every day.”

Patrick forced the special session when it became clear that the bathroom bill and a property tax revamp wouldn’t pass the House in a form with which he agreed. He did so by stalling separate, must-pass legislation to keep several state agencies running.

Gov. Greg Abbott, the only one who can call a special session and control its agenda, summoned lawmakers back to Austin for the session that began July 18. He set a 20-item agenda including the bills affecting state agencies, bathrooms and property taxes.